Is Robot Vacuum Cleaner Best The Greatest Thing There Ever Was
How to Choose the Best Robot Vacuum Cleaner
A robot vacuum will help you save time and hassle when it comes to regular cleaning. Top performers are good at picking up dust light debris, cords and dust.
The more expensive models even clean your floors--though they still can't climb stairs. Look for models with intelligent mapping, real-time hazard avoidance, and roomy self-emptying bins.
Best Overall
The top robots we tested were user-friendly, efficient and able to cope with the daily messes. You'll also want a robot that can take on stairs and that has decent pick-up power on carpets. And, if you're looking for extra features, you may be interested in a model that uses smart mapping technology, or an application that allows you to remote control vacuum cleaner the robot remotely.
Camryn Rabideau is a contributing reviewer and writer for shopping at PEOPLE who has tried many robotic vacuums. She prefers the ones with the most features like those that have self-emptying bins and charging stations that automatically empty and refill the water tanks used to mop robotic vacuums. She also likes robots that recognize landmarks such as furniture legs and power cables so that they won't get tripped up when climbing stairs.
In comparison to the top-rated models this Black and Decker vacuum isn't as advanced in its object-avoidance capabilities and its score for navigation is lower. However, it does have a large dustbin that doesn't need frequent emptying and a long battery life. It also comes with an option that allows you to schedule cleaning sessions and return to where it stopped last, making it easier for you to cover larger homes. This model is a great choice for pet owners, since it is able to avoid the tangles of fur and food particles.
In our tests we tested the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra combines an LIDAR sensor that can map rooms and identify obstacles using an organized light sensor to identify objects and detect edges. It is able to avoid the steps, liquid droplets and furniture legs with this combination. It is also able to save up to four floor plans for later use. It can pause and resume cleaning at any point, so that you can continue doing chores while it works. The app includes a 3D view of your home, with room labels as well as advanced cleaning options.
This robot is not as good at cleaning as our top models, however it is a pro in picking up larger items like orzo pasta, metal screws and even fine particles like sand. The only drawbacks are that it isn't able to mop and its navigation system is a little less impressive.
The best robovac for Carpet
If you have carpeting, select an automatic floor vacuum vacuum (79bo.Cc) that scores high for carpet and rug maneuverability and pickup. A lot of models do a great job of removing dust embedded in low-pile carpet and a few do a decent job at sweeping up heavier debris like orzo pasta, metal screws and pet hair. They can't take in fine particles like an upright or canister, and could miss dirt that is close to thresholds or baseboards.
The best choice for most carpeted areas is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum/mop, which allows you to swap between an empty bin for cleaning and a damp mopping pad. The Roborock Q Revo is a 2-in-1 robot vacuum/mop that can clean and mop at the same time with circular pads that spin at 200 rotations a minute. It detects and lifts its pads when it comes in contact with carpet, which prevents the floor from getting wet. It is not necessary to take them off or replace them every time. The Q Revo is also better than other robot vacuum/mops at keeping away from obstacles such as rugs and thresholds and staying clear of obstacles.
The iRobot Roomba Combo i5 is another good option. It did well in our tests, and you can schedule it to sweep your home when you are away. It can be set to only mop. We liked its navigation on floors with no flooring and rugs. The Combo i5 has a long runtime and excellent path-planning for an item of this size.
If you're looking for a top-of-the-line vacuum that is high-tech, the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop is a fantastic alternative. It has a huge charging dock that can go months without needing to be emptied, and it has impressive navigation skills and auto-emptying on both carpets and floors that are not cleaned. It's also got a smart-mapping system and can be programmed to only operate during certain hours of the day (a useful feature to keep the sly kids and pets from running it amuck). The Shark isn't as powerful as other robot vacuum/mop combinations, but it still manages to pick hair and pet hair very well. It's also the highest price of our top picks.
Best for Hard Flooring
Robot vacuums are the ideal option for hardwood floors since they can easily maneuver around obstacles and not damage surfaces that are not bare. They are fantastic for removing dust and crumbs, but they struggle with pet hair or larger debris. They lack the suction power of the top canister or upright vacuum, making them a poor choice for deep cleaning upholstery or carpeted areas.
The most effective robots are those that come with two-in-one features, combining the power of a mop with a vacuum to complete the job in one step. If you have mixed flooring you should look for one with an onboard sensor which detects changes in the floor's texture and adjusts suction accordingly. The ECOVACS DEEBOT T9+ for instance, comes with this feature and can move seamlessly from hard to soft carpeting.
If you have lots of hardwood floors in your home, you may want to consider a robotic mop and vacuum combo like the Eufy S1 Pro. This model is a powerful robot vacuum with intelligent navigation to clean hardwood floors and other hard surfaces, and it has the ability to mop as well. Its sensors assist it in avoiding the stairs and other hazards, so you don't have to be worried about the robot falling down the stairs and breaking your hardwood.
When it comes to mop pads, the eufy S1 Pro is designed to actually clean hardwood floors using downward pressure, rather than wipe them over to remove light dust and dirt. Its reusable mop pads reduce the amount of waste and reduce the spread of germs, and can be cleaned in the docking station to save your time. The mops are also able to be washed, dried and reused.
Both the robovac as well as the mop are both controlled by your smartphone, making it easier to manage the device. You can, for instance, use the app to designate areas that the vacuum won't enter, or to label rooms and schedule specific cleaning times. The eufy S1 Pro has an auto-emptying port that collects debris through trapdoors, and then stores it in a bagless or disposable bin. This means that you don't have to empty the bin manually as often as you do with other models.
Best for Small Spaces
As the name implies that these robots are to be used in small areas. They have smaller bins that contain less debris, and they're more efficient than larger models when it comes to maneuvering tight corners. They can also fit under furniture that larger robots can't reach. They are also less expensive than the more expensive models, but you'll need to empty their dirt compartments manually at the end of each cleaning session.
A few years back robot vacuums underwent a major change. Manufacturers started adding sensors that allowed them to navigate around and avoid household items that their conventional sensors might get stuck on or run across. This has have reduced the number of times that our testers had to clean up after a robotic snag, whether it was a power cord, toy or pet waste.
However, the latest sensors aren't solving all of these machines' problems. The most affordable models struggle with the same obstacles that the older ones did and, in addition, they require a certain amount of light to see where they're going. If you reside in a dark area or have lots of furniture that is low-profile, think about buying a model that utilizes a top-mounted spinning LIDAR unit to map your space as our top overall and runner-up picks do. This allows them to avoid obstacles like stairs and other ones when working in darkness.
The models can be programmed to only use their cliff sensors only when they are near or on the ground, but not when they are above it. You'll still want to cover any mirrors that may hinder this function, however, because the laser used by a laser-based model could bounce off reflective surfaces and cause the robot vacuum cleaner on sale to think it is in another room.
A few of the models we recommend also allow you to set up virtual no-go zones in areas where you do not want the robot cleaner go, which can be useful if you have pets or children. These features aren't included on all the models we've tested so make sure to review our full reviews of each model below prior to making a purchase.